Department chief of Azerbaijani Presidential Administration: “We are ready to adopt the law on defamation

The law on defamation can be adopted in Azerbaijan this year, said head of the Presidential Administration’s public policy department Ali Hasanov.

Hasanov said that the opinion of Azerbaijani government on defamation is univocal: “During the meeting at the Press Council last year, Azerbaijani President said that arrest for journalistic activity was frozen in Azerbaijan for years, the moratorium was put on it. Completely we are ready to adopt the law on defamation. Europe and all international community shouldn’t discriminate the countries regarding the press policy and defamation. Requirements to one country should concern other countries as well”.

Hasanov noted that the Press Council had a project on the law on defamation and it was introduced to the European institutions. “We think that the law can be adopted this year. The will of Azerbaijani government is to develop the principles which contribute to the political pluralism in the press, and extend free media’s coverage”.